Pipe handling apparatus



Nov. 3, 1931. J. E. STEPHENS 1,829,879

PIPE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3,1931. J STEPHENS 1 ,829,879

PIPE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedNov. 3, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN E. STEPHENS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I.F.8TEPHEN'S, I OF HOUSTON, TEXAS PIPE HANDLING APPARATUS Applicationfiled January 3, 1930. Serial No. 418,361.

This invention relates to new'and useful im rovements in pipe handlingapparatus.

8m object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterdescribed specially designed for use in connection with wells, forhandlin pipe or casing as the same is withdrawn irom the well Anotherobject of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterdescribed by means of which the joints or sections of ipe as the sameare broken up or withdrawn roin a well may be conveniently and easilydisposed of to one side of the derrick and arranged in racks or stacksfor further disosition.

While the devicehas been particularly desi ed for use in oil fields orin connection with wells, the apparatus is capable of general use.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction arrangement of partsand use, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows a sideelevation of the apparatus as associated with a well derrick and Figure2 shows a plan view thereof, showing the derrick in horizontal crosssection.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the derrick as a whole havingthe floor 2. As is well known, the derrick is erected over a well inwhich pipe or casing as 3 is located. Declining from one side of thederrick floor are the spaced rails 4, 4, preferably formed of angleirons suitably joined together and formin a track. However if desired,the usual -rails may be used. At the lower endof the track there is asuitable bumper 5 which may be yieldable if desired. There is a carriage6 mounted on the carriage-wheels 7 which are shaped to conform to thetype of rails used. This carriage is movable along said track. There isa cable 8 one end of which carries a suitable weight 9. This cable worksaround an overhead sheave 1O mounted up in the derrick and'passes thencearound a sheave 11 at one side of the derrick floor and on around ahorizontally disposed sheave 12 on the derrick floor aligned midway ofthe track and its other end is attached to said carriage 6. The weight 9normally holds the carriage at the upper end of the track. In operation,as a section of the pipe or casing is withdrawn from the well, andbroken out, by the use of the conventional elevators '13 and tackleblock 14, its lower end is swung onto the carriage and the tackle blockthen gradually lowered. The weight of the pipe section will force thecarriage 6 downwardly along said track carrying said pipe sectiondownwardly and outwardly as it approaches a horizontal position. Whenthe carriage 6 reaches the lower end of the track the upper end of thepipe .section will come to rest on the horizontally disposed rollers 15,15 mounted between and disposed transversely of the rails 4, 4. Thesection of pipe may be then easily rolled off of the carriage androllers onto the skids, 16, 16 forming a rack for the pipe and disposedto one side of and adjacent the track. When the carriage 6 is relievedof the weight of the load and the track is cleared of the pipe sectionthe carriage will move back up the track to its original position underthe influence of the weight 9.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be apreferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. Apparatus for handling pipe including a decliningtrack, a carriage thereon for supporting the lower end of a section ofpipe, a stop at the lower end of the track, mech anism normally holdingsaid carriage at the upper end of said track, said mechanism beingformed to permit the carriage to move, under the influence of the weightof the load thereon, to the lower end of said track.

2. Apparatus for handling pipe including a declining track, a carriagethereon, a stop at the lower end of the track, mechanism normallyholding said carriage at the upper end of said track, said mechanismbeing formed to permit the carriage to move, under the influence of theweight of the load thereon, to the lower end of said track, and atransverse,

load suppcrting roller mounted in the track arrange to support a pipesection disposed parallel with the track.

3. Apparatus for handling pipe including a declinlng track a carriagemovable therealon a etc for the carriage at the lower end of the treeand a transverse support adjacent the upper end of the track and shapedto support horizontally disposed pipe sec ticns.

4. Apparatus for handling pipe including a deelimng track, a carriagemovable therealong and adapted to support the lower end of a pipesection, a carriage stop at the lower end of the track, a cable attachedto the carriage, sheaves around which said cable works, one of saidsheaves being elevated, a suspended weight carried by the cable andarranged to operate, through said cable, to normally hold the carriageat the upper end of the track, said weight and cable being arranged topermit the carriage to move, under the influence of a load on thecarriage, to the lower end of said track.

5. Apparatus for handling pipe including a declimng track, a carriagemovable therealong to receive the lower end of a section of pipe, acarriage'stop at the lower end of the track, a cable attached to thecarriage, sheaves around which said cable works, one of said sheavesbeing elevated, a suspended weight carried by the cable and arranged tooperate, through said cable, to normally hold the carriage at the upperend of the track, said weight and cable being arranged to permit thecarriage to move under the influence of a load on the carriage, to thelower end of said track, and a transverse roller in the track adjacentthe upper end thereof arranged to sup port the pipe when lowered ontosaid track.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN E. STEPHENS.

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